Withering Rose
by night-skies
Summary: DG. seemingly unrequited love, family ties, semiangsty stuff, etc.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Withering Rose

**Disclaimer: **I'm not JKR and I don't own anything... :( I wish I owned Draco

**A/N: **EDITED. Yes, major changes have ensued. I didn't particularly like it... I'm working with a friend now. Enter Sunita.

* * *

**CHAPTER 1**

"_It is bitter to lose a friend to evil, before one loses him to death."_

**_Mary Renault - The Praise Singer 1978_**

* * *

Ginny had been seeing him for 4 months now. However, no one knew.

They knew of course. Him. And her. But no one else.

* * *

Sometimes the things he said to her made her shudder. Not a good shudder, either. But that happened so rarely. _It's nothing.... She_ thought. _Everyone gets in foul moods._ There were other times when she thought that they had something that no one else could ever have, that she felt emotions that no one had ever experienced.

* * *

It has been said in the past that Malfoys fall in love about as often as dragons decide to be merciful to trespassers. And a Malfoy loving one of those muggle-loving, penniless Weasleys was, of course, out of the question. Or was it?

Basically, Draco got want he wanted, and Ginny needed to feel like she meant something to someone, to feel like someone understood her. Around him she felt complete again.

* * *

Draco opened his eyes and saw red. However, it didn't startle him, it was something that he had grown accustomed to. Ginny lay sleeping next to him in his bed. He saw the bruises that stood out on her delicate arm like dark stains on white porcelain. She stirred in her sleep, then settled and was once again still. He looked out of his bedroom window, seeing the moonlight flooding the manor grounds, irregular dark and light spots where the beams of light passed between the clouds and fell to the ground. _Not morning yet_, he thought, and looked at the door. "Firmare," he whispered. At that, his eyes fluttered shut. Sleep washed over him like a gentle wave swiftly rolling onto sand, and his thoughts were pulled away into the darkness like the tiny grains into the ocean.

* * *

Ginny rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she made her way into the kitchen.

"Morning mum," she said, and then sat down at the table, looking at the plate of food in front of her. Only her and Ron were home with their parents now. All of her older brothers had jobs, including Fred and George, who had finally started their joke shop.

"Morning dear, how are you? You look exhausted," Molly said, giving Ginny a look of concern. Ginny had woken up late that morning, and had just used a portkey to return to her room. Not that her mother knew, or even suspected that anything was happening. Ginny had always been a well-behaved girl. She got decent marks at school, and was rarely in any considerable trouble.

"That's because I am. Summer makes everyone tired though doesn't it?" She looked up and at her mother. "Actually, I think I'm going to go lie down again." Ginny got up from her chair, leaving her plate untouched and walked to her room. She closed the door gently behind her, and that's when she fainted.

* * *

Firmare is Latin translated to "secure"


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Withering Rose

**Disclaimer: **I'm not JKR and I don't own anything... :( I wish I owned Draco

**A/N: **EDITED ALSO

* * *

**CHAPTER 2**

_She closed the door gently behind her, and that's when she fainted._

* * *

Ginny slowly came back to consciousness. She understood what had just happened, that she had fainted; but she was confused. _I guess I _was_ really tired_ she thought, but even she didn't completely believe herself. She stood up slowly in an attempt to avoid a wave of dizziness, and made her way to her bed. She tried to forget about it, but it stayed in the back of her mind for a long while. She knew, without wanting to, that her fainting was just one side effect associated with struggling against the mental and physical pain of black magic. Just like the bruises on her arms were an effect of struggling against another kind of pain.

* * *

Draco sat on the ground; with arms folded around knees, he watched the sunset. It spilled red and gold across the grass and the small pool under a tree a few yards off. Four months ago, those colors would have made him think of Gryffindor, which would have made him immediately want to go inside back to the cool grey walls of his room. This time, however, he thought of the way Ginny's hair would have looked with those rays bouncing off of it. He had been sitting there for a while, just thinking, and attempting to organize his thoughts. He stared without blinking into the sun's reflection on the water, and like the water, his silvery eyes showed nothing beneath, only a reflection of the world around him.

Draco heard the footsteps approaching behind him, but remained motionless. He knew he wouldn't see her. He had given her the Invisibility Cloak on what could have been considered their one-month anniversary, not that he would have acknowledged it at that point. He felt the invisible hand rest on his shoulder. The cloak was a precaution. Whether he was using Ginny or not, Lucius would not want his son associating with Weasleys. _But that's what I've been thinking about, isn't it? Whether or not I _am_ using her. Is it more than that?_

"Draco," she said, so quietly, even he barely heard her. Without a word, he stood up and walked through the grounds back to the manor. Ginny silently followed him, careful to be exact. She knew about his family. She knew about the hexes and curses all over the grounds. Draco made his way through the long halls and to his room, where he closed the door and whispered a simple silencing spell. Then he looked at Ginny and decided the best way to tell her what she wanted to hear more than anything else.

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**A/N**: Although you commented before I edited, a special thanks to: **Skybluepink: **Thanks for the compliments, and you have a good start on your new fic **ronsfavfan18: **Thanks, Draco and Ginny is one of my favorites too. **xseleanea: **No, I'm not done with it yet..:) Thanks for commenting!


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Withering Rose

Chapter 2

Author: night-skies

Disclaimer: Characters belong to J.K. Rowling. Not me. Menot Ms. Rowling

Ginny could tell that there was something different in his manner tonight. Usually there was a hunger, and a pointed disregard at the recklessness of what he was doing. Bringing Ginny into his father's house without his father's knowledge, without his permission. Ginny suspected that this thought actually gave Draco more of a rush.

It was uncharacteristic of Ginny to get into any sort of relationship with a person that was commonly known as cruel, and if the Malfoy family was not known for their cruelty, then they weren't known for their wealth and good looks. However something had drawn her in about Draco, and she had to admit that he'd never been cruel to her. Perhaps he hadn't been particularly friendly or open, but the fact that he let no one in, confided in no one…it drew her in deeper than she knew how to escape.

Now he looked at her, seemingly deep in thought. His expression was guarded as ever, his eyes showing no hint of his intentions or emotions. He raised his hand gently to her face and brushed a stray curl of her red hair behind her ear. She met his eyes and he looked at her for a long moment, then walked away and sat down on the corner of his large bed.

If she didn't know better, Ginny would think that he was having some sort of inner battle. But she did know better, right?

* * *

As Draco sat down on his bed, he made a decision. He did love her. Loved that she did not judge him as he once thought she would. Loved that even as he didn't tell her his feelings, she had always been patient and giving, loving even. He loved that she did love him.

Draco also knew that he could have no future with her. His family would forbid it, society would forbid it, and hell, now he was going to forbid it. He would not let this go on, and he would not let her get hurt the way he knew that she would if he didn't end this.

That thought hurt more than he had realized it would. As she approached him she tilted his chin up, forcing him to meet her eyes. They were wet with tears that he was too stubborn to let spill. This caught Ginny off guard, and she sat down next to him.

"Draco…what...what's wrong? Please tell me," she said gently. Draco turned his head the other way saying nothing. "Draco. It's okay whatever it is." She gently placed her hand on his. "I…I…" Draco turned to look at her so quickly that at first Ginny feared he heard his door opening or something.

"You what?" he asked. "If you're about to say what I think you are, then don't do it."

"I love you Draco," she said so quietly she could barely hear herself, her eyes falling to her hand resting on his.

"That's unfortunate for us both then," said Draco decisively. "If you're waiting for me to say it back, you can stop. You know I won't." A tear slid down Ginny's cheek. She didn't want it to, but she did not have Draco's self-control, his icy resolve to show no emotion.

_ I wont hurt her any more than I have to, _thought Draco. _I can't let this go on. If she thinks I don't care, then she can blame me. I have to stop this before I can't. _

"Is that what you thought this was? Love?" his voice had changed, his whole manner had changed. He had never acted this way before her, except at school. At school he carried on with his façade for his emotional protection though, so he wouldn't have to deal with things. While he didn't confide in her, she knew better than to think that he would outright lie about his emotions. "You were wrong if you did. Perhaps you'll be wanting to leave now, since you've come to realize that your fantasies are fallacies," he said bitterly, the composure he never felt so necessary to keep when she was around regained.

Ginny had regained her composure as well. She stood up and walked toward the spot on the floor where she had slipped off her invisibility cloak. She picked it up with her back turned toward him, then suddenly turned around to face him. She walked over to him quickly and stopped when she reached the bed. He looked up at her just as she leaned down and kissed him hard. He met her kiss for a moment, and then he remembered his decision and pulled away violently.

"This ring will serve as a portkey back to the garden by your house," he said, pulling the intricate silver ring off of his finger and handing it to her, refusing to acknowledge anything he had felt in that kiss. Ginny looked at the two serpents on it then back up to Draco.

"You know how to find me Draco. If you ever need me, or even if you don't," she said. Then she pulled on the invisibility cloak, and slipped the ring onto her finger, returning to the gardens outside of The Burrow.


	4. Chapter 4

Withering Rose

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: same old, same old. I own nothing, except a car with a dented bumper and a crazy horse named Wally.

* * *

But he had made no effort to find her. 

At least the fainting had stopped. As much as it hurt her to not see him or hear from him all summer, Ginny had to admit that her health seemed to be generally in a better condition. She was much less social now, keeping to herself most of the time in her room or in the gardens. She went to the gardens so often now, occasionally passing whole days among the flowers and under the sun. Her parents were mildly concerned, but she wouldn't admit that anything was bothering her.

_No one would understand anyway, how hard it is,_ she thought. _The way every little thing reminds me of him. This rosebush, with its beautiful flowers and sharp thorns. The small snake that silently traveled across the path that the bench she sat on was located. The way it smelled when it rained, that was his smell._

Maybe a more sensible girl would have stayed inside and away from the things that caused her the small twinges of pain every time she opened her eyes. But she didn't want to forget him, and so she let herself into the garden daily, or nightly, knowing full well how she would feel.

She couldn't understand what had changed. She had been so sure of his feelings. If she hadn't been, she wouldn't have risked everything saying that. She knew he loved her, why wouldn't he admit it? What had happened?

Ginny blamed herself now. Because of what she _had_ to say, she had lost the most important part of her life. Watching the sun set and the stars come out, she wondered how she had even let herself begin to feel the way she did about him; he was her brother's school rival, the boy from the family that her family would never accept, the boy that saw everyone as being below himself-her friends, her family, even, she had thought, herself.

* * *

Draco thought about her more than he would admit even to himself. There were nights that he spent sleepless, wondering if she was doing the same thing. This had to be the first time in his life that he could not control himself. He willed himself to pretend as if he were in control though. He had enjoyed his rendezvous, and had not gotten caught. It would not be practical to give up the game now, now that he had made this sacrifice for his and her wellbeing. The alleged wellbeing that neither of them were enjoying at the moment. 

Yet his resolve never faltered. And he had never contacted her, never sent her an owl, never flown his broom to her house, and never used a portkey or the floo network. He didn't care how much he had to suffer just so she would be protected in the long run. And in this fashion, Draco Malfoy was a very selfish person.

* * *

Author's Note: Thanks to LovingEmerald for reviewing! I've found motivation to start writing this again, and hopefully will keep the chapters coming. I love reviews, they give me a lot of encouragement since this is my first fic. Also, I really have no idea where this is going until I write it.. : ) Constructive criticism is good, as well as ideas, etc. Thanks for reading! 


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Withering Rose

Disclaimer: No infringement of copyright is intended, all characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling. I only own the plot 

Chapter 5

In the beginning they were opposites, and so in the end, it was only fitting that they be opposites again. Hot and cold, fire and ice; that is the way it always was with them. In the beginning, Ginny was very emotionally open. She wore her feelings on her sleeve and had little experience in the pain that people can cause others, and therefore had no reason to feel guarded. Draco, on the other hand, was icy and distant and hid behind his biting sarcasm and closed his emotions behind a façade, never knowing what it was to be loved or cared about and knowing all too much about the pain and humiliation that others could cause him if he let them. He had resolved to let no one in and to let no one break down his barriers.

But they changed each other. Without trying to, and without realizing it, Ginny had slowly taught Draco what it was to love, what it was to be cared about. He hadn't realized it at first, but when he did it overwhelmed him with emotions he had never experienced, and that scared him. Scared him more than he could imagine. And when he realized that he had chosen the one girl, one woman, that he couldn't be with to feel this way about, he didn't know what to do. So he ran and hid behind his cold exterior. Pushed her away in what he viewed as a selfless attempt to save her from pain further down the road. But what he caused was more pain in her than she had ever experienced.

Ginny waited all summer to hear from him, and didn't. She was reminded of him in everything she did, yet still he didn't come. And that is what broke her. Now, just as Draco learned how to let himself go, Ginny was forced to block herself up. So as the days went on, it felt to Ginny that she was existing rather than living, just going through the motions of eating, sleeping, waking, and eating again. She pretended to be happy behind her mask, and pretended to have fun with her family on their outings, but it wasn't the same. She feared that it never would be.


End file.
